Monday, April 21, 2008

Last week 'Peace and Truth', the magazine of the Sovereign Grace union, sent me the latest edition of Spurgeon's All of Grace to review for the next issue. This book is subtitled 'An earnest word with those seeking Salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ'. All I can say after intensively reading the book is "Wow!" It is the exact polar opposite to the sort of man-centred, free-will literature that so often masquerades as evangelistic in this present day and age. Where so much modern 'evangelistic' literature is the equivalent of candyfloss (that's cotton-candy in England), mostly air, with no subtance at all, All of Grace is like a bar of that 70% cocoa dark chocolate, incredibly rich! This is a book that is all substance! It is very readable, though modern readers may find that reading a chapter gives them the same feelings as imbibing one of those chocolate bars - it makes you feel very full. 'All of Grace' gives the lie to those who say that Calvinism is not evangelistic. It is a whole book written for seekers - real seekers, not pleasure-seekers, or those seeking a palliative for the conviction of sin. Chapter titles like 'God Justifieth the Ungodly', 'It is God that Justifieth', '\By Grace Through Faith', 'Why Repentance Must go with Forgiveness', and 'Why Saints Persevere', tell the reader all he or she needs to know. Spurgeon is serious about sin, about Christ and about faith.

Calvinists, read this book, find out how the Gospel can be preached to sinners without compromising the holiness of God and the inability of man. Ask yourself, can you present the Gospel like this?

Arminians, go and read this book. Ask yourself, is this book Biblical? Not, does it conform to my tradition? but, is it Biblical? I think you'll find that it is. Then ask yourself, how often have you heard this sort of preaching from any of your so-called evangelists?

Ministers, read this book, ask yourself, is my preaching like this? Is it centred upon Christ? Do I exalt God and abase man? Do I call upon sinners, as sinners, to come to Christ? Am I in earnest as Spurgeon was?

Unbelievers, read this book. This is the way of salvation made plain for you. If you feel your sin, Spurgeon will tell you how to get rid of it. Not how to hide it, to conceal it, but to get rid of it once and for all.

[Note: This review bears little resemblance to the one that will, God willing, appear in 'Grace and Truth'. All of Grace is published by Christian Focus ]